Meaning & use
prize possession
Last updated
UK/ˌpraɪz pəˈzeʃn/
US/ˌpraɪz pəˈzeʃn/
Meaning
nouncountable
The thing you own that you value most and are proudest of.
Grammar: Countable: her prize possession; often with a possessive.
Patterns
- someone's prize possession
- a prize possession of someone
His vintage guitar was his prize possession.
The old watch is my grandmother's prize possession.
For the boy, the signed football was a prize possession.
Word forms
| plural | prize possessions |
|---|
Common combinations
- his prize possession
- The red bike was his prize possession.
- treasured prize possession
- The letter became her treasured prize possession.
- become a prize possession
- The medal became a prize possession.
- guard a prize possession
- He guarded his prize possession carefully.
Synonyms and how they differ
- treasure
- Treasure suggests something loved or valuable and is slightly more poetic.
- pride and joy
- Pride and joy is more emotional and can describe a person as well as an object.
- valued possession
- Valued possession is more neutral and does not suggest pride.
- heirloom
- An heirloom is passed down through a family, so it is a narrower idea.
Opposites
Word family
- prize verb
- to value highly
- prized adjective
- highly valued
- possess verb
- to own
- possession noun
- something you own
Commonly confused: prize possession or prized possession?
prize possession vs prized possession
Prized possession is the more standard form with the same meaning.
Practice
Complete: 'The old camera is her ___ possession.'
Choose one answer.
Prize possession is the fixed phrase for something valued most. Price, prise and praise are different words that do not fit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “prize possession”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.